The a2A4504-42cc is part of Basler's ace 2 V series and uses the 1.1" Sony IMX541 global shutter CMOS sensor (Pregius S) with a 4504 x 4504 resolution and 2.74 µm square pixels. It connects over a single CoaXPress CXP-12 link (2.5–12.5 Gbps) via a Micro-BNC/HD-BNC connector and reaches up to 42 fps at full resolution. The camera is a C-mount color model powered by 24 VDC / PoCXP, consumes about 4.3 W, and supports 8/10/12-bit output with GenICam and CoaXPress 2.0 conformity. It ships in a compact 29 x 29 mm box housing weighing roughly 76 g with an IP30 rating.
The Basler ace 2 V a2A4504-42cc pairs the 1.1" Sony IMX541 global-shutter CMOS sensor (Pregius S generation) with a single CoaXPress CXP-12 link, and that combination defines how it should be designed in. The square 4504 x 4504 array yields 20.2 MP across a 12.34 x 12.34 mm active area on 2.74 µm square pixels, so each pixel maps a small, geometrically consistent patch of the scene — the foundation for trustworthy dimensional and surface work. Because the shutter is global, every pixel integrates over the same window, freezing motion without the skew or smear a rolling shutter introduces. That makes the camera suitable for inspecting parts on moving conveyors, indexing tables or web material, where a rolling-shutter sensor would distort fast-moving edges and codes.
The interface is the headline. A single CXP-12 coax carries 2.5–12.5 Gbps and lets the camera sustain up to 42 fps (42.6 fps at CXP-12, 8-bit) at the full 20.2 MP — a throughput tier well beyond GigE and at the top of what USB3 can manage at this resolution. CoaXPress also delivers Power-over-CoaXPress (PoCXP) and a trigger signal over the same Micro-BNC/HD-BNC coax, simplifying cabling on the line and supporting long runs. The trade-off versus simpler interfaces is that you need a CXP-12 frame grabber and matching coax; budget that into the build. Output is selectable at 8/10/12-bit, with GenICam and CoaXPress 2.0 conformity, so it integrates with standard frame-grabber and vision-library toolchains. Power is 24 VDC or PoCXP at roughly 4.3 W.
This is a C-mount color camera, which shapes both optics and lighting decisions. The 1.1" / 17.45 mm-diagonal format sits near the upper edge of comfortable C-mount coverage, so lenses must be rated to cover a 1.1" sensor at the resolution the 2.74 µm pixels demand — an under-spec'd lens will soften the corners and waste resolution. The color sensor makes it a fit for tasks where hue carries information (print/label verification, color-coded components, material sorting) but costs some light and spatial resolution versus a mono sensor. Combined with the global shutter, that argues for bright, controlled illumination and short exposures: strobed lighting synchronized to the trigger keeps motion crisp and exposures repeatable. The compact 29 x 29 x 50.2 mm box housing (about 76 g) eases mounting in tight cells, while the IP30 rating and -10 to 50 °C range mean it expects a relatively clean, enclosed environment rather than open washdown areas.
Best for
High-resolution surface and defect inspection of moving parts where the global shutter freezes motion across the full 20.2 MP frame without skew
Dimensional measurement and metrology that benefits from the square 4504 x 4504 array and uniform 2.74 µm pixels for consistent scaling in both axes
Color-dependent inspection such as print, label and packaging verification where the color sensor distinguishes hue, not just contrast
High-throughput electronics and semiconductor inspection that needs both fine detail and 42 fps over a single CXP-12 link
Industrial OCR/OCV and 2D code reading on fast-indexing lines, where global shutter plus CXP trigger keep characters and codes sharp
Selection notes
Plan for the CoaXPress chain: this camera requires a CXP-12 frame grabber and Micro-BNC/HD-BNC coax — it is not a plug-and-play USB/GigE device, and the grabber is a mandatory line item
Specify a lens that covers the 1.1" (17.45 mm diagonal) format and resolves the 2.74 µm pixel pitch; a lens rated for smaller sensors or lower resolution will not exploit the full 20.2 MP
Account for the color penalty: a color sensor trades some sensitivity and spatial resolution versus a mono variant, so size the lighting accordingly if you only need contrast
Pair with strobed illumination triggered through the camera to keep short, repeatable exposures and fully leverage the global shutter on moving product
Respect the environment: IP30 and a -10 to 50 °C range suit clean enclosed cells, not dusty, wet or washdown locations; add protective housing where needed
Confirm bandwidth budget at your chosen bit depth — full-resolution 42 fps figures are quoted at 8-bit on CXP-12, so 10/12-bit operation will reduce frame rate
Specifications: General
Brand
Basler
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
20.2 MP
Horizontal resolution
4504 x 4504 px
Mono / color
Color
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius S
Sensor model
Sony IMX541 (IMX541-AAQJ-C)
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
1.1" (12.34 x 12.34 mm, 17.45 mm diagonal)
Pixel size
2.74 x 2.74 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
Up to 42 fps (42.6 fps @ CXP-12, 8-bit)
Specifications: Interface
Interface
CoaXPress CXP-12 (2.5–12.5 Gbps)
Protocols
GenICam, CoaXPress 2.0
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
24 VDC / PoCXP
Power consumption
4.3 W
Specifications: Environment
IP rating
IP30
Operating temperature
-10 to 50 °C
Specifications: Mechanical
Dimensions
29 x 29 x 50.2 mm
Weight
76 g
Housing material
Box
Applications this camera is commonly selected for. Open one to see the full recommended hardware and approach.
Matched automatically by: lens mount fits the camera mount · lens image circle covers the camera sensor — this camera: C-mount · 1.1" (12.34 x 12.34 mm, 17.45 mm diagonal) sensor.
By category
All 67C-mount lenses 43Telecentric lenses 24
By brand
All 67Basler 34iRAYPLE 23Omron / Sentech 8Datalogic / Datasensing 2
Get a first image quickly with the pylon Viewer, then move into the pylon SDK for your application. These cameras are GenICam/GenTL-compliant, so any compliant vision software can drive them as well.
Download and install the pylon Camera Software Suite for your OS from Basler. This provides the pylon Viewer, the GenTL transport-layer producers and the pylon SDK (C/C++/.NET/Python). On Windows the installer adds the needed drivers; on Linux follow the included setup notes for USB and network permissions.
2. Connect the camera and check the link
Cable the camera to its matching interface: GigE Vision to a GigE port (use a quality cable and, ideally, a dedicated NIC with jumbo frames enabled), USB3 Vision to a USB 3.x port with the supplied cable, or CoaXPress to the frame grabber. Provide power where required (PoE, USB bus power, or PoCXP). Open the pylon Viewer and confirm the camera appears in the device list; for GigE, make sure the camera and NIC are on the same subnet.
3. Grab a first image and set exposure, gain and pixel format
Select the camera in the pylon Viewer and start a continuous grab. Adjust exposure time and gain until the image is well exposed (avoid clipped highlights), set the pixel format (e.g. Mono8 or a Bayer/RGB format), and focus the lens. Use a test pattern if the lens or scene is not ready yet.
4. Configure triggering and acquisition
Decide between free-run and triggered acquisition. For synchronized capture, set the trigger source (software or a hardware line on the I/O connector), trigger mode and any debounce or exposure mode, then verify timing. Note the parameter names you change in the Viewer feature tree, as you will reuse them in code.
5. Move to the SDK or a GenICam-compliant library
Recreate your settings in code with the pylon SDK (C, C++, .NET or Python) to open the device, apply the same features and pull frames into your pipeline; pylon vTools and pylon AI can add processing blocks. Because the cameras are GenICam/GenTL standard, third-party vision libraries work too. Once the image stream is stable, you can route frames to a deep-learning inspection such as Rosepetal for automated defect detection.
Frequently asked questions
It uses the 1.1" Sony IMX541 global-shutter CMOS sensor from the Sony Pregius S generation, with a 4504 x 4504 (20.2 MP) array of 2.74 µm square pixels. The global shutter exposes all pixels simultaneously, freezing motion without rolling-shutter distortion.
It connects over a single CoaXPress CXP-12 link rated 2.5–12.5 Gbps and reaches up to 42 fps (42.6 fps at CXP-12, 8-bit) at the full 20.2 MP resolution. CoaXPress also supplies Power-over-CoaXPress and a trigger signal over the same coax.
It is a color camera with a C-mount. Because the sensor is 1.1" format (17.45 mm diagonal), the lens must be rated to cover a 1.1" sensor and to resolve the 2.74 µm pixel pitch.
It runs on 24 VDC or Power-over-CoaXPress (PoCXP) and draws about 4.3 W. Output bit depth is selectable at 8, 10 or 12 bits, with GenICam and CoaXPress 2.0 conformity.
It is a compact box housing measuring 29 x 29 x 50.2 mm and weighing about 76 g, rated IP30 with an operating temperature range of -10 to 50 °C, suited to clean, enclosed inspection cells.
